Homemade Dog Shampoo -- Soothing Oatmeal and Castile

Our senior Lab, Toby, has developed a summertime skin condition which tortures him with big dry, itchy, scaly patches with hair falling out of them. Yuck -- poor dog!!!

And yes -- it ONLY occurs during the warm months, and has only been the past two years. His skin is normal during the cooler months.

Here’s the soothing shampoo that I whip up for my itchy dog. It makes him feel so much better that we treat him weekly with it. (He normally only gets bathed every couple of months in cooler weather.)

You’ll need 1 cup of oatmeal powder. Grind uncooked oatmeal up into a fine powder in the blender.

Combine it with 1 cup of hot water in a clean, repurposed 1-qt. plastic jar. Cap the jar tightly and shake very well to combine the oatmeal and water.

Add 2 Tablespoons of PURE aloe vera gel if you have it. Shake well.

(DON’T use a “Pure aloe lotion” preparation which contains alcohol that will burn sensitive skin.)
Funnel the mixture into a 1-gal. plastic jug. Add ½ cup liquid Castile soap. Shake very gently to mix. Add 3 cups warm water and shake well.

Apply to the wet dog’s coat immediately. It won’t make as much lather as commercial shampoos, but lather isn’t what cleans.)

Shake the container often to keep the oatmeal from settling while you’re getting the shampoo onto the dog. Leave it for at least 5 minutes.

Rinse VERY well.

This is gentle enough to use weekly, if you must.
　
TIPS:
You can add 1 cup of baking soda for a smelly dog, but it might make sensitive skin even more itchy.

Add a cup of apple cider vinegar if your dog is stinky, but only if there are no broken areas of skin.

You can also add ½ cup glycerin, which is very good for the coat. But keep in mind that it will reduce the lather even further.

 

I have bought a couple bottle of 99% natural oatmeal shampoo for my dog. We used it during the winter when he really needs a bad and when his odor is bad enough. I don't want to dry out his skin with too many bath times.

 

Thanks for the tips here. I have bought the oatmeal shampoo several times. It's just so expensive and it's always great to prepare your own stuff.

 

Wow, this sounds really good! Thank you for sharing
I think I should try to make a homemade shampoo for Homer. The store-bought dog cosmetics contain a lot of chemicals.

 

Yesterday I gave all of the girls a bath and it was so tough. Four all at once. I kept thinking I had forgotten to use something and it was the oatmeal now I am seeing this. I used dawn and the apple cider vinegar and I think it went down well. I think the grass outside is growing too fast again and I fear the ticks are going to resurface. I need to get back to walking my dogs CONSISTENTLY away from all the bush.

 

Wow, I'm sure it wasn't easy! Giving my Homer a bath is absolutely exhausting, so I can't imagine giving four dogs a bath at once Did they try to run away from water? Homer always tries

 

Do you think that actual aloe vera ''gel'' can be used? I mean the one you can actually extract from a mature aloe vera plant? I ask because I have plenty of that! I used it in shampoo and also directly on my skin in the past. It gave me some really neat results in terms of hair softness and shine

 

Trellum, I'm sure you can use it. The aloe gel extracted from a mature aloe vera plant is the healthiest, because it doesn't contain any preservatives
I sometimes use it directly on my skin too.

 

That is great, Claudine! I have a loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooot aloe vera plants that were going to go to waste if I didn't find a way to use all those mature leaves. They were a gift from a neighbor who died a long time ago. Too bad I can't grow those in the Netherlands (I think). Bummer! or should I say... jammer!? Hehe! I will give this a try

 

Can't you take some of them with you and grow them indoors? Aloe Vera is a very useful plant To be honest, I don't know if extracted aloe gel can be stored for a longer period of time. We always use it fresh.

 

@claudine The people at the US airports are kinda picky when it comes to things you can and cannot carry in your own bag Lately I notice they do open my bags! They don't lie it if you bring things with soil or plants or fruits, they make you fill a form you have to sign and declare if you are bringing that kind of things with you. But I will try to find Aloe vera over there =D

 

Are you traveling Trellum? My passport expired and I am dreading going to have it renewed. You are so right about travel to the US but if you have a good day you might not be pulled aside to be searched,
Aloe is a great plant to own. Great for humans and animals. I took some oatmeal out about three weeks agon and I have it there sitting so I don't forget to use in on my dogs.

 

Ow I was talking about the registered bags, for some reason they have been searching my registered bags So I can't lie about the things I get in there. It seems they are doing that to people who are on international flights. Not cool! Once they left a bottle of shampoo open... spilled all over my clothes.

And yes, I am moving very soon This time is for good.

 

Hopefully I will be around to help you settle. As I type I am here trying to decide what to do with my dogs. The ticks are back. Today I am buying something called Petcor that was recommended by the vet. I prepared some oat, dove and vinegar to bathe them but some dogs from down the street keep coming by and making them go crazy. I am afraid to take them outside and give them a bath which would be ideal for what I want to do.

 

Oh no! ticks are back there? Are you guys entering into fall? or not yet? Over here it seems to be getting cooler, but you never know. I just hope we can all get a rest soon. And by the way, how come your girls got ticks?? The other day I almost freaked out because I thought I saw a tick on my girl's belly, but it was just a very odd birth mark, lol.

 

Trellum, the gardener got sacked remember? Since he's been away (God knows I would like to find him and sneak him through the back door; he was the best worker) the grass keeps getting out of control so I suspect it's that and the weather that brought them out. Good knows it drives me crazy.

The Petcor seems to be working but if the grass is not cut immediately I know they will be reinfected. Besides that once I get back to a proper schedule of walking them I won't let them out in the yard that much. For me I am convinced it has everything to do with the yard. What's more I am afraid to use the pesticides in the yard. Since Twinkle I get anxious about anything that might expose them to any kind of accidental death.

 

I don't remember that D: I don't remember most things equally well (I've a neurological problem). Oh no, I hate long grass, over here snakes used to hide in places like that. And yes, I think it's better not to expose them to that, because well, you know how much dogs like to niggle on things. That is why I told my mom to stay away from pesticides! By the way, is it still very hot over there?

 

To be honest, I think it's a good thing. People at the airports should open everyone's bags to make sure we're safe. I want to feel safe on the plane. Terrorists terrify me.
Will you take your dog with you? Can dogs travel on a plane?

 

The open the certified bags (the ones that go inside the plane and you can't pick until you land in your destination). I think they don't do this with everyone, they do it only with people who are traveling alone. But I guess this is good, the only thing I don't like is how they are not careful! They didn't close my shampoo the last time and it spilled on my bag. They also broke one of my bags.

I think she will stay here one year, I will have at least 3 bags to worry about plus a backpack D: So I can't take her with me for now, plus I got to check more details about traveling with a dog in a long trip D: